Stargazing
by Loki Mischeif-Maker
Summary: A conversation between Harry and Firenze while looking at the stars. Sometimes healing can be found in the strangest of places.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Firenze, Hogwarts, Harry, or anything else Harry Potter. That's JK Rowling— not me.

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An unshod hoof stepped as quietly as was possible on the stone floor of the hall. Above the hoof was the palomino body of a powerful horse, elegant in form down to the gleaming coat and the fine hairs that made up the tail. However, above the massive forelegs of this horse was not an equine head and neck, but the muscular body of a man. This, too, would have pleased a Greek sculpture, and it could have been a part of the Discus Thrower. The body of the blond man bore only a single noticeable mar— a hoof-shaped mark, once a bruise and now a lasting scar, near the center of his chest.

Firenze opened the door to the hall and stepped into the fading light. The giant squid was lifting its tentacles from the lake, and a few students were still out, some heading indoors as the light grew dimmer. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger passed the centaur on their way inside, arguing.

Firenze shook his head and stepped completely outside. His hard, unshod hooves made surprisingly little noise as he came down the steps with some difficulty, hind legs struggling to keep up with his weight. Once on the grass, he was able to travel in utter silence, examining the sky as he made his way towards the lake.

He paused when one of his hooves slipped on wet rock. He glanced towards the horizon, pretending not to notice the skinny dark haired boy he'd paused beside. Harry Potter had made it more than clear over the last few days that he probably wanted to be left well alone.

The two were motionless for some time, until finally Firenze commented, "You can see Mercury tonight."

"Huh?" Harry asked, obviously startled.

The centaur pointed in the direction of the setting sun. "Mercury— it's the planet half-hidden in the glare. If you squint, you can see it."

Halfheartedly, as if all he wanted was the distraction, Harry pulled off his glasses, cleaned them on his robes, and put them back on, lifting a hand to shield his eyes. "That little thing's a planet?"

Firenze nodded, looking up and watching the stars as they slowly began to peek through the darkness. One, a reddish object not really a star, caught his eye. "Mars grows ever brighter."

Harry shuddered and didn't say a word. Firenze, who understood, continued to slowly work his way across the heavens in search of stars that meant something. It was slow work, as many were only just appearing as he searched, and the centaur worked in silence, leaving the moody fifteen-year-old to his own thoughts.

Finally, however, Firenze spoke again. "Venus is here, too, and bright. That's odd. Love and war written so clearly in the same sky."

Harry leaned back, looking up at the sky and the centaur examining it. It was truly dark now, a blanket of blackness dotted with light. "Aren't Mars and Venus always up there?" he asked softly, absent.

Firenze looked down with something of a smile flittering across his fair face. "Well, yes, but rarely are they both so clear at the same time." He glanced towards the eastern horizon, and saw nothing of any real importance. He returned to gazing at Mars.

Harry sighed. In his first year, Hagrid had warned him not to try to get a straight answer out of a centaur, and had added that they were interested in nothing nearer than the moon. Firenze was certainly doing nothing to contradict Hagrid's opinion.

Harry sighed and sat up, getting slowly to his feet. He still didn't really want to be around people, even though Firenze stargazing hardly counted as company. Besides, it was getting far too dark for him to be out there, even with the centaur there.

As the passed him, Firenze spok. "Do you miss him?"

Harry turned around, glaring at him a moment, more out of surprise than anything else. Did anyone _not_ know about him by now? "Of course I miss him," he answered finally. "Why?"

"He's up there, you know," the centaur replied.

"What? Where?"

Firenze pointed, and Harry followed his hand, half expecting to see Buckbeak with Sirius on his back in the distance. He didn't, of course, and he hesitated a moment, unsure. However, a smile slowly crept across his face, and something about it made him feel better.

Firenze was pointing at the dog star.

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Author's Note:** I don't pretend to be astrologically accurate by a long shot, and I'm not quite sure what Firenze would think of Sirius or Venus. On the other hand, it fit the story. Cheers! — Loki 


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